My journey as an artist has been deeply shaped by collective engagement, research-based practice, and a commitment to social justice. In 2015, while in my fourth year of Fine Arts studies, I joined Clark House Initiative as an artist, a transformative step that broadened my understanding of exhibition-making and collective practice. Over the years, I have explored the body as a site where identity, labor, and histories intersect, and my work continues to navigate these themes through various mediums.

The UNIDEE Residency came at a pivotal moment in my practice, offering a space to expand my research into labor, materiality, and gendered histories. When I arrived in Biella, Italy, on October 7th, it was my first time in the country, and I was eager to experience its rich artistic and cultural heritage. The journey from Milan to Biella was marked by scenic landscapes, and despite the language barrier, Massimo - the person who ferried me by taxi to the Residency - and I found common ground through music, setting the tone for a residency experience defined by unexpected connections and shared human experiences.

Visit by UNIDEE Advisory Board member Beatrice Catanzaro

Upon arrival, I was warmly welcomed by Clara Tosetti and given a tour of Cittadellarte by Luz. The historical premises fascinated me, and I soon began perceiving the space as a living archive; a resilient body holding testimonies of emotional labor within industrial and institutional spaces. The quietness of Biella was striking, a stark contrast to the bustling energy of Mumbai.

Visit to Fondazione Zegna

A visit to the Zegna Foundation deepened my understanding of Biella’s textile mills and their historical significance. I was particularly drawn to Ettore Olivero Pistoletto’s frescoes depicting the wool craft’s history, a visual testament to the legacy of labor in the region. Clara and Annalisa Zegna were instrumental in helping me navigate these histories, making my research more layered and nuanced.

Visit to Santuario de Oropa with resident colleagues of Unidee programs

One of the most transformative aspects of my residency was my friendship with Palestinian artist Reem Masri. Together, we spent hours walking through Biella, allowing the city to reveal itself to us through its streets, markets, and forgotten spaces. The thrift shops became sites of discovery, where we found objects and archives that spoke of invisible histories and erasures. These daily walks became an extension of my research on emotional labor and oral culture, as we exchanged personal narratives, reflections on displacement, and artistic ideas.

Artist Reem Masri and I on one of our long walks at Gorgomoro, Biella

The UNIDEE kitchen became our sanctuary, a space where meals were shared, histories were exchanged, and a sense of sisterhood was nurtured. Cooking together was more than just an act of sustenance; it became a form of storytelling and resistance. As we cooked, I reflected on the invisible emotional labor that goes into preparing a meal, drawing connections to intergenerational wisdom and feminist histories.

Palestinian Dish Macarona Billaban by artist Reem Masri

My research at the residency culminated in Of Bodies and Dead Machines, a project exploring material memory, emotional labor, and the unseen narratives present into domestic crafts. Through textile histories and female labor, the project interrogates how acts of care and domesticity are central to understanding histories of resilience, healing, and resistance.

Research materials and archives for UNIDEE open studio

Beyond the research and artistic output, the residency was a lesson in empathy and solidarity. It was a space where artistic and personal boundaries dissolved, where friendships were forged in the most unexpected ways. The experience was a testimony to the power of sisterhood, and in Reem, I found a sister I never had. This residency was not just about artistic growth; it was about finding kinship, about knowing that despite our differences, there is always common ground; if only we are willing to listen.

This residency will always remain a defining chapter for me, shaping not just my practice but also my understanding of what it means to create, to care, and to belong.

Wants and Needs II - Receipt for Emotional Labour

“Does the Fabric even know her name?” - UNIDEE Open Studio